dean

Meaning

Noun

1. A senior official in a college or university, who may be in charge of a division or faculty (for example, the dean of science) or have some other advisory or disciplinary function (for example, the dean of students).
2. A dignitary or presiding officer in certain church bodies, especially an ecclesiastical dignitary, subordinate to a bishop, in charge of a chapter of canons.
3. The senior member of some group of people.

Verb

1. (intransitive, rare) To serve as a dean.
2. (informal, transitive) To send (a student) to see the dean of a college or university.

Synonyms

doyen

rector

superior

director

chancellor

conductor

curator

decane

department head

doyenne

ecclesiastical

elder

eldest

executive

intendant

manager

presbyter

president

principal

proctor

provost

r

senior

vale

wielder

person of higher rank

the head of the College of Cardinals

ancient

narrow wooden

archdeacon

archimandrite

boss

Translations

decano

doyen

decano

Dekan

degà

deken

deán

decaan

deão

decano

κοσμήτορας

reitor

doyenne

αρχιμανδρίτης

Pronounced as (IPA)

/diːn/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: den

Cognate with French: doyen

In summary

From Middle English den, deen (“dean”), from Anglo-Norman deen and continental Old French deien (modern French doyen), from Latin decānus. Doublet of doyen.